


until we get there

by chamvies



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Azula & Zuko (Avatar) Have a Good Relationship, Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Big Brother Sokka (Avatar), Childhood Trauma, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Not Canon Compliant, Other, Ozai is an asshole, Past Child Abuse, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, azula deserved better so i gave her better, but if i write a second part i promise toph will be there, forgiveness...maybe, hot leaf juice central, i love ty lee, iroh is also mentioned, katara misses zuko, no beta we die like jet, ozai is mentioned, sokka loves katara, toph is mentioned for like a second, zuko loves azula, zuko went thru some stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 05:33:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29059047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chamvies/pseuds/chamvies
Summary: Katara decides to go to her middle school reunion to wish her old friends luck before they all go off to college. She forgot that the boy who broke her heart would be there.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42





	until we get there

**Author's Note:**

> hi!
> 
> if i had a dollar for every time i wrote a summary and cringed... anyways, i’ve never posted on ao3 before but decided since i keep writing fanfics in my google docs to maybe... idk... post them!  
> also i know i am not the best writer so go easy on me, thanks. <3  
> 
> 
> i hope you enjoy!
> 
> title is literally because i was listening to until we get there by lucius!

Katara sighed as she put her car in park outside of the middle school that she used to go to. She cannot believe that she had agreed to come.

It was the summer before her first year of college and her old eighth grade class had planned a reunion to wish each other luck for the future. She could see some of her old friends immediately, her eyes latching onto Ty Lee and Yue, a couple of girls she was still close to. It was strange to see all of these familiar, but matured faces all together again. Although she kept up with most of the people through social media, it was strange to see everyone in person again.

She finally got out of the car and made her way to the medium sized group that had formed, all standing on the blacktop where they used to spend their recess period.

Ty Lee was the first to spot her, exclaiming, “Katara!” Ty Lee proceeded to throw her arms around Katara, squeezing the life out of her.

“Hey Ty!” Katara replied, squeezing her back just as hard. When Ty Lee pulled away, she was embraced by Yue, a softer and quicker hug that she returned.

“How have you been? I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever!” Ty Lee exclaimed, a bright smile gracing her face.

“It’s been a week since I saw you last,” Katara pointed out, though a smile was also on her face.

“Same difference!” Ty Lee waved her off, “How has getting things for your dorm been? I’m so excited for my dorm! Ah, Ba Sing Se University…” Ty Lee trailed off in a dream-like daze before she promptly shook herself out of it, continuing with her chatter, “I already have most of my things! Mai is going to be my roommate, can you believe it? I’m super excited!”

Katara shot an amused glance at Yue before seeing a familiar silhouette behind her. She looked over, her eyes meeting a familiar pair of gold ones that seemed to have already been looking at her. She could feel past feelings rise up, mostly sadness, and for a moment, she was transported to a moment in time when all he brought her was happiness. Katara stared for a second too long before she quickly looked back to Ty Lee who was still chatting animatedly.

“-and so we decided that my side of the dorm will be pink and hers that dark maroon color she likes! She did however threaten me for if my things were to end up on her side of the dorm, but I know she was just joking!” Ty Lee continued, her cheerful tone never faltering. Katara still wondered to this day how Ty Lee managed to be so positive all of the time.

Yue snorted, “Somehow, I do not doubt that Mai would throw one of her knives at you for leaving your stuff on her side of the room.”

“Mai wouldn’t hurt me, I’m sure of it!” Ty Lee giggled, “Actually, she _did_ almost hit me when I begged her to come today. She told me she refused to see anyone from middle school.”

Katara laughed at that, Yue speaking up again, “This is why I’m glad that I will have a dorm room all to myself.” Yue revealed, a ghost of a smirk on her lips.

Katara playfully slapped her arm, “No fair! I would kill to have a dorm room to myself!” 

“Should’ve applied to Northern Oasis, they only have single occupancy rooms. Sucks to suck, huh?” Yue teased, bumping her hip with Katara’s. 

Katara rolled her eyes, giving her a smile. She could sense _his_ eyes trained on her and it took all of her strength to not look back at him, no matter how badly she wanted to, “Nah, I’m pretty set on Ba Sing Se and although my roommate and I have already gotten into a bunch of arguments and we haven’t even started college yet, I just love her already. Toph is definitely a character but she’s really fun… If you ever meet her, don’t tell her I said that.”

Yue chuckled, “Well I’m glad it worked out for you. I still don’t think I could function living with someone while doing school. I would never be able to get any work done because I wouldn’t be able to concentrate.”

Ty Lee scrunched her face up before slowly nodding her head, “I can see that happening. Personally, I work better with other people, especially if they’re working too! It inspires me to finish any work that I might have!” 

Katara nodded in understanding, “I’m both ways. Depends on my mood.”

Yue gave her a look, “That’s because you get annoyed at people when you’re stressed. Working at Starbucks with you was a nightmare.”

“It was not that bad!” Katara exclaimed, throwing a hand over her heart in mock offence, but not truly offended, “...Okay maybe I was... But you can’t blame me for being annoyed at work when people are idiots!”

“Fair enough. Ooh!” Yue looked over Katara’s shoulder, “I see Hahn! I’m gonna go say hi! Talk to you guys later!” Ty Lee bid her a cheerful farewell while Katara wished her luck.

Ty Lee scanned the group, before her eyes widened in excitement, “Oh my god, Zuko is here! I have to go say hi!” Katara let her smile fall at the sound of his name and Ty Lee, who looked as if she was about to take off, paused when she glanced at Katara’s crestfallen expression.

“Aw, Katara, I’m sorry! I forgot…” Ty Lee hesitated, causing Katara to slap a reassuring smile onto her face.

“No, it’s okay! Totally fine.” She assured the usually energetic girl, “I see Haru. I’m gonna go say hi to him.”

Ty Lee nodded and gave Katara one last smile before she bounded over in Zuko’s direction, throwing her arms around him, “Zuko! It’s so good to see you! How have you been!” Katara sighed but kept her smile when she saw Haru approaching her. She took that chance to glance over at Zuko. She was grateful that he was focused on Ty Lee. She didn’t know if she could handle catching his eyes again, especially when she couldn’t read his expression very well.

She looked back over to where Haru finally reached her and she gave him a smile and a quick (awkward) hug.

“I was just about to come over and say hello.” Katara stated, causing Haru to grin at her.

“Great minds think alike.” He joked, “How have you been?”

The two of them spent a few minutes catching up with each other, getting onto a topic that seemed to be stumping Katara. 

“I had the biggest crush on you back then.” Haru told her, causing her jaw to drop.

“No way, really?” Katara asked, tilting her head and furrowing her brow in surprise.

“Yeah! I mean, most of the guys did, I think. But mine really hit when you finally told Mr. Pakku off in the middle of his lesson for being a sexist asshole. God you put him in his place and I just couldn’t help but have a crush on you after that.” He confessed, giving her a shy smile. If Katara didn’t know any better, she would ignore the way his eyes twinkled at her. But she does know better and she could sense that he still liked her.

She would not feed into his apparent feelings, so she changed the topic slightly, “Wanna hear something super ironic that still gives me nightmares to this day?” She inquired, raising a brow at him. 

He gave her an confused look, “Uh, sure?”

“Mr. Pakku and my Gran Gran used to date when they were teenagers and when my Gran finally came up to the school to put him in his place on my last day, she realised who he was and they started catching up. Now… He’s Grandpa Pakku.” Katara explained, watching many emotions cross his face, the main one being amusement.

“No way… That’s fucking hilarious.” He replied, laughing, “Is he still sexist?”

Katara grinned, “My Gran beat the sexism out of him.” She told him, causing him to nod in approval.

“As she should.” Haru stated, that shy smile slipping back onto his face.

Katara smiled back at him before excusing herself to talk to a few others that had come. As she was finishing her conversation with a kind girl named Meng, her phone buzzed. She fished it out of her pocket before reading the text that she had received from her brother. As she unlocked her phone, a few more messages popped down.

_Sokka: hey, can you bring me some food on your way home?_

_Sokka: some for suki too!_

_Sokka: in fact, pick up some wingstop?_

_Sokka: you know our usuals, right?_

Katara rolled her eyes at her brother's antics, before typing a quick message back to him.

_K: yeah, ill pick some up. send me $$._

_Sokka: you’re the best sister ever, you know that?_

_Sokka: i sent u $20_

_K: you could mention it more…_

_K: ok thanks, i’ll be on my way to get the food in a few_

_Sokka: okay and no need to get a big head, katara._

_K: says you._

She slipped her phone back into her pocket and looked for Ty Lee and Yue, wanting to tell them bye before she left. She spotted Ty Lee who was latched onto… Mai? Katara had not even realised that moody girl had come. She made her way over to the two girls, “Hey Mai,” Katara acknowledged. She was never really close with the girl, but Mai was always as kind she could be to Katara, “Ty, I’m heading out.” 

Mai replied with a ‘hello’ as Ty Lee let go of Mai’s arm. throwing herself at Katara, “See you hopefully soon! Don’t go to Ba Sing Se University without seeing me first!”

“Ty Lee, we’re going to the same college.”

“I know! But come see me before you leave anyways!” She replied, still not letting go of Katara.

“Okay, I promise.” Ty Lee finally let go and Katara waved before spotting Yue and heading towards the girl, “Hey, I’m heading out.”

Yue was showing something to Hahn on her phone but quickly threw her arms around Katara, “See ya’, girlie! Hopefully soon?”

Katara pulled away, “Of course. I’ll be sure to see you before I leave for college.” She looked over at Hahn and gave him a polite smile before taking her leave.

She started the journey across the blacktop and then the parking lot back to her car. She could feel Zuko’s eyes watching her walk away. In fact, she caught him staring a couple of times while she was catching up with old friends and with each time, her heart got heavier. She was so close to her car, just a few more steps and she’d reach it-

“Hey, Katara, wait!”

Katara’s mind was debating two choices; running the rest of the way to the car and zooming the hell out of there or freezing in the very spot she was in, and of course her body chose the latter. She froze in her spot, only turning to latch her eyes onto the same gold ones that she never forgot about.

She was transported back to her freshman year of high school.

_Katara stared at her phone, willing a text from Zuko. They had been inseparable best friends since the second grade, almost eight years of friendship between them. Through this, she had developed a crush on him and by the time freshman year rolled around, she was in love with him, she just wasn’t sure if she should confess her feelings or not._

_Her phone lit up with a text notification and she quickly grabbed it, only to realise it was a text from her dad._

_She opened up the last messages that had occurred between her and Zuko and frowned. She hadn’t heard from him in a week, ignoring every message she has sent him. She wonders if she should tell him._

Tell him Katara…

 _She groaned but typed a message up._ I like you. I have for the longest time. _She laughed at the message. Short and sweet, but not good enough. She went to erase it, but hit the send button instead._

_She froze._

_Fuck. Fuck. FUCK._

_She threw her phone across the room, landing on the pile of blankets that she had in the corner of her room. She stared at it as if it had burned her hand._

_What have_ I _done?! Why did you do that, Katara? Are you an idiot?!_

_She stood up and got her phone and then threw herself back onto her bed. She was afraid to unlock it. What if he responded? What if he read it and didn’t respond? What if he tells her he doesn’t feel the same and then their friendship is awkward and ruined? What if-_

_She unlocked her phone and her heart stopped. He read it._

_He hadn’t read any of the messages that she had sent him for the past couple of days, but he read this one. She waited for the bubbles to appear… Waited… and waited… and they never came._

_She groaned, “Fuck!”_

_“La, Katara! Language!” She heard her Gran Gran cried out from the other room._

_“Sorry!” She called back, looking at her phone again._

_No bubbles. No text back. Left on read._

_...and it stayed that way. She never heard from Zuko again. He ended up blocking her on Instagram and Snapchat, but never did block her number which she found strange._

_She spent weeks crying over him. Over their lost friendship. They were attached at the hip growing up, always texting, always FaceTiming, always making plans to hang out, and then suddenly he was gone._

_Sokka had found her one night, listening to the same sad song on repeat, crying quietly to herself._

_“Katara…” He murmured, crawling onto her bed and throwing an arm around her shoulders._

_“I don’t get it…” She sniffled, “I don’t understand why he won’t answer me.”_

_“If he’s this much of a dick, then you deserve better.” Sokka told her, running his hand up and down her arm in a soothing manner._

_“I told him that I liked him, Sokka… and he left me on read. He had been ignoring all of the other messages and when I sent the one telling him I liked him, which was completely by accident, he read it and then never responded. I haven’t heard from him in weeks. Our friendship is over but I don’t want it to be.” She cried, her shoulders shaking in sobs._

_“If he left you on read after telling him that, then you definitely deserve better. The least he could have done was tell you that he didn’t feel the same way instead of ghosting you.” He stated, placing a kiss on her forehead, “And if I ever see him again, I will punch him.”_

_Katara laughed, wiping the tears from her face, “Thanks, Sokka.”_

Now she was standing in front of the boy who had been her first true heartbreak.

He stood there awkwardly, scratching at the back of his head before he dropped his hand and finally spoke, “How are you?”

Anger flared up inside of her, “Really?” She snapped, “That’s why you came over here?”

He quickly shook his head, his hands going up in defense, “No! I came over here because I was going to- I wanted to- Fuck, I can’t speak.” He was nervous, she could tell that easily. _Good. He should be nervous._

He took a deep breath, “I wanted to apologize.”

Katara felt her stomach in her throat, swallowing back the sad memory and trying to keep her anger clear. She crossed her arms and waited for him to continue.

He seemed to get the memo, proceeding with an apology, “I’m sorry for how our friendship ended. It wasn’t you, it was me- Agni that sounds like one of those shitty break ups…” He faltered, shaking his head and continuing, “I’m not gonna explain unless you want the details, I don’t want you to think that I’m making excuses for myself. I was so wrong to completely cut you off without so much as a goodbye. For that, I am deeply, truly sorry.”

Katara could feel her resolve chipping away, little by little with the words that she has been waiting to hear for the past three and a half years, yet a part of her was still mad, so she lit into him, “A sorry won't magically fix anything, Zuko. It won’t magically mend my heart back together, nor will it give me back the time that I cried over you and wondered what I did wrong as a friend. I waited for you to text me back or to come by my house. I know we went to different high schools, but you could’ve contacted me. Now when I’m ready to start fresh at college, you want to come and apologize after three years?” She could tell he held himself back from interjecting, which was a good thing on his part, for she would’ve ripped him a new one if he did interrupt her.

“I know it won’t fix any of that. I wish I could take it all back. When I look back at myself then, I wish I could just knock some sense into old me. But I’ve changed, Katara. I know I should’ve done this sooner, but there was just so much happening in my life and I had to move in with Uncle and-“

That news shocked Katara, “Wait, what?”

He was still rambling and didn’t hear her, “-I just… I’m sorry. I’m so genuinely sorry and I hope one day you can forgive me and that we can be friends. I know that’s a lot to ask for but…” 

“Zuko… I loved you back then,” Katara told him. _And seeing you right now, I’m realizing that I never stopped,_ “I told you that I liked you and you just… read it and didn’t say anything back. You broke my heart and I don’t know if I could ever trust you again.” She felt like she was going to pass out and was trying to keep her breathing steady by tapping a rhythm on her leg to center herself.

“I… I loved you back then too.” He confessed, eyes full of sorrow.

She felt the air in her lungs disappear, “I… I have to go. I’m- I’m sorry, I have to- yeah!” She stammered, turning around and hurrying to her car.

She got in and immediately started it, catching sight of Zuko looking absolutely heartbroken, but was clearly letting her leave. Her heart constricted more and she backed out of her parking spot, speeding out of the parking lot.

When she finally reached the stop light, which was thankfully red, she let out a sob… and then another one… and then she swallowed back the rest, needing to make it to the food place that Sokka had asked for so she could cry in their parking lot.

Once she had reached the Wingstop _,_ she pulled into a spot at the back of the parking lot and immediately started sobbing.

_The Spirits didn’t like her very much, did they?_

—

Katara had made it home nearly an hour later, much to Sokka’s disappointment. He, ever the drama king, complained about how he was starving and that he had been waiting for hours, which Katara promptly told him to shut up and to be lucky she had even gotten it in the first place.

Suki, however, had thanked her and slapped Sokka upside the head for his antics.

After giving the food to her brother and his girlfriend, who just so happened to be one of her best friends, she took her food to her room and closed herself in there for the rest of the day. 

When Sokka had knocked on her door a little while later and asked her how the reunion went, she told him it was good and that she had a headache so she was going to take a nap. He seemed suspicious at that, but didn’t question her and left back to the living room. 

The next day, Katara was driving herself crazy. Sokka had left to go on a waterpark date with Suki, her Gran Gran and Pakku were out together running errands all day, and her father was on a two week long work trip which he only had a couple days left of.

She was alone, which she normally would have thoroughly enjoyed if she wasn’t constantly thinking about what Zuko had told her.

She was angry that she let him do this to her again. She let him become the one thing that ate at her mind constantly. She felt like it was freshman year again, except this time she had an apology but no explanation because she had decided to go off on him instead of asking for his side of the story.

_“There was just so much happening in my life and I had to move in with Uncle…”_

She groaned and buried her face in her pillow, screaming into it. After a minute of collecting herself, she sat back up and grabbed her phone, opening the one contact that she never thought she would talk to again.

_K: i want you to explain your side._

Zuko’s response was almost instantaneous.

_Zuko: when and where?_

_K: come over, no one is here_

She cringed at how forward and suggestive that sounded. She decided to add on.

_K: and i have ice cream._

_Zuko: on my way_

Katara waited anxiously. To pass time, she had made sure she actually did have ice cream (thankfully she did), that there were at least two clean spoons, and that the living room looked spotless. 

She sat on the couch for the remainder of the time, picking at her nails nervously. She didn’t know why she was so nervous now, she was angry yesterday and the three years before that, or so she thought. His apology must have won some part of her over.

It was ten minutes after his text when he had pulled into her driveway. She waited by the door and when he rang the doorbell, she waited a few seconds before opening it.

“Hey.” She said quietly, opening the door more so he could come inside.

“Hey- Wow, it hasn’t changed a bit…” Zuko looked around as he made his way further into the house. Katara closed the door and turned to face him, watching his eyes flit around the room before he finally made it back to her and he shook his head, as if realizing what he was there for. He took a seat on the couch and looked up at Katara.

She bit her lip and hesitantly took a seat on the couch as well, the middle cushion unoccupied leaving a good amount of space between them.

“So…” He trailed off, seeming just as uneasy as she felt.

“So… I was thinking a lot about yesterday and I decided that it was unfair of me not to hear your side of the story.” Katara told him, keeping her gaze locked on the middle cushion of the couch.

Zuko nodded in understanding, “It’s kind of a long story…and it’s hard to tell…”

Katara looked up at him, “Then we’re definitely going to need the ice cream.” She stood up and went to the kitchen, grabbing the ice cream from the freezer and the two spoons she had laying out.

She handed Zuko the small carton of strawberry ice cream, giving him a spoon as well, which he took gratefully. She sat back in her original spot, holding a small carton of cookie dough ice cream.

“So…” Katara trailed off, unsure of how this was going to go. 

“Um… okay…” Zuko took a quick bite of the ice cream, savouring it for a second before swallowing, “I think I mentioned having to move into Uncle’s place yesterday?” Katara nodded and he continued, “So the last day we ever texted, I had come home from a study session that had been after school. Azula had already been home, I knew that, but the minute I walked into the door, I… uh…” 

Zuko swallowed. He took a deep breath and spooned another mouthful of ice cream, taking a minute to collect himself. Katara waited patiently, sensing that he wasn’t lying when he told her it would be difficult to recount.

“Ozai… Our father… He had swung at her and almost punched her… I was used to him occasionally doing it to me, y’know? And we had a silent deal; he wasn’t ever supposed to touch Azula. Ozai was definitely not father of the year, but he did usually follow that deal. Until that day… When he had missed the first time he managed to slap her the second time and I lost it.” Zuko closed his eyes, as if reliving the memory, “I rushed over and got in-between them, pushing Ozai away from her and I told her to run upstairs and to lock herself into her room…”

Katara had set her ice cream onto the coffee table, anxiously biting her thumbnail as he told the story. She felt horrible. She knew this story was going to a dark place and suddenly she felt guilty for even being mad at him in the first place. 

“Ozai and I got into it, I fought back this time since he broke the deal. I finally got a hit in that distracted him long enough for me to run upstairs and Azula let me into her room. We called the cops and then we called Uncle. Ozai was arrested soon after for child abuse and child endangerment and Uncle took us in. Azula and I have been living with him ever since. Ozai got thirty years in jail once the court found out about where my scar came from.” He breathed in deep as if he had said all of that in one breath.

“Zuko… I’m so sorry, I can't even begin to imagine!” Katara told him, scooting closer and grabbing his shaking hand. She used her free hand to grab the ice cream out of his other one and she set it on the coffee table next to hers, “I wish I would have known, I feel horrible for being so angry when you went through something as traumatic as that… I wish I could’ve done something to help, Spirits, I’m so sorry for what I said yesterday-“ 

Zuko looked at her, keeping her gaze, “Katara, don’t apologize. Your feelings are valid and I still am really sorry for ghosting you completely. You didn’t know about what was happening and I didn’t want to bring you into it.” He looked away, “Uncle had to deal with two traumatized teenagers and it was hard on him. Azula was super depressed and she ended up having to be checked into a mental hospital. This whole thing took a lot from her and that fact made me so angry that I didn’t even recognize myself anymore and there was no way I could show that side of me to you. You would’ve thought I was a monster.”

“Zuko... I could understand why you were angry, hell you had every right to be. And none of it was your fault. The only person who is at fault here is Ozai, that’s it.” She stated, squeezing his hand and feeling him do the same back.

“I know. It took me a long time time to realize that with the help of Uncle and some much needed therapy. I wasn’t even planning on coming to the reunion yesterday, but Uncle encouraged me to. He knew all about you and told me I should try and apologize. At first I refused to, I didn’t want to because it scared me so much. But I figured you deserved to finally hear an apology, even if it was… three years too late…” He muttered the last part, and Katara snorted softly which caused him to look at her, hope flaring in his chest.

“I was angry. For so long, Spirits, I was angry. But when you apologized to me… it was like most of my anger faded away. I was still mad, but a weight was also lifted from my shoulders and… Thank you for doing that. I cannot believe I carried that with me for so long…” Katara met his gaze with a sad look on her face, “I am sorry for what happened to you… No one deserves to go through that. How is Azula, by the way?”

“She’s doing great, actually!” Zuko lit up immediately and Katara cursed her heart for jumping, “She was only at the hospital for about two months and then she was put into therapy and a support group. She hated going to both for the longest time but I could tell it was helping her. Now she goes to therapy once a week and only goes to the support group to sometimes help the other kids… Don’t tell her that I told you about her one good deed.” 

Katara smiled, “That’s amazing, Zuko! I’m glad she’s doing good! I remember her being a little spitfire so hearing her having a good deed sort of blows my mind…” She trailed off and took a good look at him, “...and what about you? How have you been?” 

Zuko’s smile faltered slightly, “I mean, definitely better. It took me a long time to come around to therapy. I was super angry and I yelled at Uncle a lot. I was angry about the situation and sad about Azula and how the situation affected her. I was heartbroken over losing you, even though it was partially my fault,” Katara frowned, but squeezed his hand and let him continue, “I just had a lot of emotions that I refused to face. But once I did, a weight was lifted off of me. I felt immensely better and then my therapist taught me better ways to control my anger and emotions. I’d say I’m doing really good. Some days are hard, but Uncle tends to help me through. I still feel guilty about how I treated him, but he always brushes me off with his understanding words of wisdom…” 

Katara noticed his other hand digging into his leg and she gently grasped it with her free hand, putting his hands together and using hers to cup his, “I’m glad you’re doing good. I really am. From the way you’re speaking, I can see some growth. I never saw your angry side and I definitely don’t see any anger in you now.”

“I think that’s another small win for me.” He said, smiling at her.

“Also…” Katara trailed off, breaking his gaze for a moment before looking back at him, “Yesterday you mentioned that maybe we could be friends again-”

“Katara, you don’t have to. I don’t want you to do anything you’re not comfortable doing-”

“-I forgive you, Zuko. Although, I’m super sorry and should be the one asking for forgiveness…” She said, watching his eyes widen in surprise.

“Really? You forgive me?” He asked in a small voice, eyes turning glassy. Katara’s heart couldn’t take it.

“Only if you forgive me.” She stated, squeezing his hands.

He shook his head, “I don’t blame you for being upset or angry at me, I definitely deserved it and you’re allowed to feel whatever you need to… But if that’s what you need… I forgive you as well.” He watched her smile and in a flash, she was in his arms, her own arms wrapping around his neck. She felt his encircle her waist, squeezing her as if she was going to disappear at any moment.

“La, it feels so good to finally have you back in my life.” She spoke, her voice muffled slightly by his neck where her face was gently tucked.

“Same here.” He rasped, gripping her tighter if that was even possible. 

They stayed in each other's embrace for a couple of more minutes, neither one wanting to let go. When they finally pulled away from each other, Katara grinned cheekily, “We have three and half years to catch up on… what do you say about ordering a pizza and diving into our lives?” 

“I mean, you practically know most of mine already.” He joked, but didn’t seem to oppose the idea.

Katara rolled her eyes, “Yeah, but there’s definitely some things you haven’t told me. Three and half years is a long time…” She said the last part in a sing-song voice. 

“Hmm…” He murmured, putting a finger to his chin as if he was actually debating it, “Fine… I guess I can stay here and dive into the rest of my life.” He replied with a playful exasperated tone.

Katara grinned, “Let me order the pizza.”

—

Four hours, two boxes of pizza, two cartons of ice cream, and a liter of Coca-Cola later, the two were stretched out on the couch, laughing at some random story that Zuko had told about his Uncle almost kicking him out over calling tea “hot leaf juice”.

“I know he wouldn’t actually kick me out, but the look on his face was so scary… I have never seen the man look more scary… except for when he took Ozai to court, but even then the look can rival the one he gave Ozai!” Katara threw her head back with a laugh, “If you ever meet Iroh, do not call tea ‘hot leaf juice’ or he will immediately kick you out of his shop.”

Katara’s laughter died down, “I’m not dumb enough to call tea ‘hot leaf juice’ to a tea connoisseur!”

“Oh please, you’ve probably thought that exact thought before!” He teased, pushing her shoulder playfully.

She looked at him in mock offence, “Do not try and fit me to your disastrous narrative! I will never disrespect tea like that!” She exclaimed, the two of them breaking into laughter again.

She heard the sound of rusting outside of the front door and the sound of a key being used. She sent a panicked look to Zuko, “Sokka doesn’t know about you-”

The front door swung open and Sokka crossed the threshold, Suki trailing behind him. 

“Katara! We’re back!” He called out, closing the front door. He turned to walk further into the house before spotting Katara, “Oh hey, didn’t know you were in here-” His eyes finally captured Zuko’s and he looked back at Katara, then back at Zuko and narrowed his eyes.

Zuko stood up to face Sokka. They stayed like that for a couple of seconds before Sokka stalked forward, taking a swing at Zuko and punching him hard enough for Zuko to fall back into the couch, clutching his jaw.

“Sokka!” Both girls exclaimed in surprise, one more angrier than the other.

“I told you if I ever saw him again that I was gonna punch him.” Sokka simply stated before grabbing Suki’s hand and dragging her into the kitchen, “Good to see you, man!” He called over his shoulder.

Zuko, still rubbing his jaw, looked over at Katara who gave him a sheepish look and shrugged her shoulders.

“Sorry…” She told him, trying to fight the smile that was trying to make its way onto her face. 

**Author's Note:**

> the telling someone you love them and getting ghosted actually did happen to me 💔 if i ever get a reunion with the person who did me dirty like that i’ll let you know.
> 
> i hope you enjoyed! if you didn’t... well... uh... sorry? i had a lot of fun writing this! i also left it to where i could write a part two, maybe even a part three... 😏 so let me know if you would be interested in that!
> 
> if there are any typo’s or whatever i am sorry i reread this like 10 times and made a bunch of adjustments and now it all looks the same LMAO.
> 
> also i feel as though i should mention that wingstop is a fast food place! a lot of my internet friends told me they never heard of it before so i figured i should mention what it is. i included it in the story because it just so happens to be one of my favourite places to eat...and i might’ve been craving it.
> 
> i wrote all this over the span of a couple days (some of those days i just had the google doc open and i’d stare at it for a couple of minutes before going back to netflix ❤️)
> 
> ...was most of this written in the middle of the night...? maybe...
> 
> i write best on little sleep i think...?
> 
> okay i’m going to bed now since i have classes in four hours. bye! ❤️


End file.
